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In an award-winning journalism career spanning nearly three decades, Glenn Kessler has covered foreign policy, economic policy, the White House, Congress, politics, airline safety and Wall Street. He was The Washington Post's chief State Department reporter for nine years, traveling around the world with three different Secretaries of State. Before that, he covered tax and budget policy for The Washington Post and also served as the newspaper's national business editor. More »

McCain attacks on education

By
Michael Dobbs

"Education Week says Obama 'hasn't made a significant mark on education'. That he's 'elusive' on accountability.
A 'staunch defender of the existing public school monopoly.' Obama's one accomplishment? Legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners.'
--McCain "Education" Ad, September 7, 2008.

A new McCain ad caricatures Barack Obama's education record by claiming that his only achievement is to pass legislation ensuring "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners. It implies that its critique of the Democratic presidential nominee has been endorsed by the non-partisan journal Education Week, when in fact it is a hotch-potch of quotes from a variety of sources stitched together to form a highly partisan political attack.

The Facts

Education Week bills itself as the "journal of record" for education professionals. In March last year, it ran a generally positive article about Obama, describing him as one of several Democratic candidates with a demonstrated interest in education policy. The article noted that Obama had gained considerable "grassroots experience" of education problems in Chicago as the member of a board of a school reform initiative known as the Annenberg Challenge. It went on to say that he had not made "a significant mark on education policy" in either the Illinois Senate or the U.S. Senate, but had pushed for the expansion of early childhood education.

The McCain ad includes captions attributing the quotes on accountability and Obama's alleged support for "the existing public school monopoly" to a Washington Post editorial and an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. (Needless to say, the ad omitted the Post's criticism of McCain for failing to come up with a detailed education plan.) But a casual viewer or listener could easily get the impression that all the quotes came from Education Week.

The McCain ad is wrong when it claims--in a voice dripping with sarcasm--that Obama's "one accomplishment" in the education field was the sex education bill for kindergartners. While it is true that Obama supported the bill, he was not one of the sponsors. As far as kindergartners were concerned, the principal purpose of the bill was to make them aware of the risk of inappropriate touching and sexual predators. Other states, including California and Massachusetts, have passed similar legislation.

Obama was more closely identified with other education legislation in the Illinois State Senate, including a 2003 bill to double the number of Chicago charter schools from 15 to 30, which he co-sponsored. On substance, Obama has attempted to tread a fine line between his opposition to vouchers and his support for greater choice for parents, including support for charter schools. In a speech in Dayton earlier this week, he proposed doubling the funding for "responsible charter schools," along the lines of the earlier Chicago experiment.

The Pinocchio Test

Nobody expects television ads to be fair and objective analyses of public policy. Almost by definition, the ads are partisan sales pitches, designed to promote one political brand while running down the rival brand. But they should not misrepresent the record of the other side and should clearly distinguish quotes from non-partisan news sources from standard political rhetoric. The McCain "education" ad fails this test.

United States a superpower and the presidental election news of the day is LIPSTICK! 1.8 million americans each year lose their life savings/homes because of a serious illness and we are talking about lipstick! This is the very exact thing that happened in past two elections, it was all silly stuff, personalities, who is prettier who is more likeable, its like Rome is buning while Nero fiddles. I don't know, its just unbelievable! But come to think of it, maybe this is why the so called Reality Shows are so popular? Maybe this is why Americans are more interest in Paris Hilton than health care, wars, deficits, energy cost, its so far removed from their humdrum everyday lives it is much better to invent a soap opra, its like a SPECTACLE.

I saw that ad and it does attribute the sources of the quotes. While a simple minded person might not understand that when the Chicago Tribune's logo is posted on the screen at the same time a quote is broadcast that the quote can be attributed to the Chicago Tribune, it should be expected that a "fact checker" would honestly report that. So, as a fact checker of your article, I'll give you three Pinocchio's.

I think the Dem response should start being..."why do John McCain and Sarah Palin need to lie about Barack Obama, as well as their own allegted achievements? Don't they have a legitimate fact-based claim to make? On anything?"

Am I the only one who is tired of the idiots who get elected to be president? All we can do is go for the lesser of 2 evils every time anymore. It's a catch 22, either get a jerk or doesn't care or another jerk of doesn't care. They only talk about whose done what wrong, whose slept with who or whose kid has slept who with who. As if any of that matters. They make promises they never keep. If you email their office you get a form letter and signed up for their stupid newsletter, as if yeah that's what you wanted. You didn't want someone to read what you wrote, no way. You spent 20 min or so writing an email to them, because you wanted a form letter back. Perfect. They talk about how they are the best for this reason or that reason but its all lies. We all know its lies, but we only get so many people that even bother to try because no one really wants to. No sorry they do want to but for ALL THE WRONG REASONS. They want the power, they want to be recognized, and they want to be the popular kid on the playground for a change. They don't want to help, they don't want to make things better because they all have the money that doesn't get taxed, they don't need to work, and they have NEVER lived paycheck to paycheck. They have no idea what its like to worry about how the bills will get paid. Why not actually have someone who cares, who really gives a damn. Because those people aren’t allowed to run, we don’t have the money. We don't have our own PLANES. WHAT THE HELL DO THEY NEED A FREAKING PLANE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My god what the hell is wrong with these people. They say how they are just regular people well I'm sorry but us regular people DON’T HAVE FREAKING PLANES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELLO! They are such idiots. If only there was such a thing as a rich person who cared about others then maybe we could have a president who really did care. But we all know that won't happen.

The Education Week website has taken down their CONTACT information. Hopefully this was because outraged educators are flooding them with complaints. I will track them down and throw pigs with lipstick at their front door. Alex

I wonder why so many people are falling victim to McCain smear campagin "Ads" they are made up of LIES...LIES...LIES...AND MORE LIES....But why does the media loop these lies over and over again.

This election isn't about popularity or Palin it's aboout the REAL ISSUES...your pocketbook, gas prices, and jobs, education healthcare saving you money on your income taxes.. NOT rasing them....

ENOUGH, ENOUGH, ENOUGH - America when will you wake up and say ENOUGH to Senator McCain/Palin Enough of your lies, enough of your false image of change.. Enough of your same old Politics...EIGHT YEARS OF BUSH/MCCAIN/PALIN IS ENOUGH........

This is Steve Schmidt's handiwork. He's a Rove henchman who, in my estimation, is continuing the destruction of American politics. He has taken over the McCain campaign with both barrels blazing from the decks of his swiftboat. Sad, sad, sad. John McCain was a patriot in my eyes, but no longer.

THE LIBERAL MEDIA JUST DOESN'T GET THE FACT THEY HAVE ZERO CREDIBILITY

The days of Americans acccepting the news media "fact checking" are over.

The liberal news media are engaged aging irrelevant partisan hacks who will become even more shrill the less the public gives credence to their false statements.

From CBS manufacturing forged documents, to George Stephanolopous correcting Obama's freudina acknowledgement on Sunday about his "Muslim faith" the liberal news media have squandered their ONLY asset--presumed credibility.

And you can only spend your credibility ONCE.

P.S. The Pinocchios are nice--can we have them on Wash Po news articles?

I just heard Obama say, in a quote after his Senate run that the bill in question "was the right thing to do."
Not for my family it isn't. McCain has the affirmative action empty suit pegged, and Obama can't stand it.

if mccain dont address the issue in 2days im going to the democrat side this is to much mccain im finally coming to my senses when you said you dont know nothing about the economy it must be the truth when palin says she does not no with a v.p does it must be true cause i being watching you and sarah yall being on the stump saying the samething over in over for 10days no fresh ideas nothing in palin lie lie lie i cant take this no more an if you pull that pen out one more time talking about veto imma scream in if palin lie about the bridge to nowhere imma holla now you showing the republican party that you dont have no issue on helping us i have 100 adults in my family an we are tire we casting our votes for obama he seems like the one who cares more about our kids future an he is looking more like the adult in you and palin looking more like bullys,obama i use to hate you but i hade to ask god to forgive me because you only doing what you have to do for the future of our young kids me and my family came up with $2000 dollars to help out in my sons mowing lawns to help out finally we have someone who cares

This is sad. John McCain used to be a decent guy, but recently he has been blown around like a rightwing weather vane. He wanted to pick Joe Lieberman, but at the last minute picked a right-winger he barely knew, to curry favor with the right wing he once derided. Then he has the gall to go out and say how forecefully he stands up to the special interests. Give it a rest, Senator. You can classify just about every utterance from McCain and Palin into one of the following categories:

Sen. Obama apparently does not even know that two wrongs don't make a right!!! (regarding his sexist pig remarks) He is not the right person to decide what Kindergarteners need to learn, I think they just might know more than him in this case. What an egomaniac he is. COUNTRY FIRST!!! VOTE McCAIN!!!

McCain and Palin = liars. They have got their idiot base figured out - people who have no grasp of issues. Why they think the rest of us are this stupid is beyond me. What happened to John McCain? He is as slimy as Bush now...pathetic...

The media will print anything, say anything, repeat anything and report anything they think that will result in higer ratings. The "truth" has nothing to do with anything they do. The republicans love the press because they can manipulate and brow beat them into submission. Just like the exchange during the convention when the CNN reporter kept asking the McCain spokesman "Name one decision that Palin has made as commander of the Alaskan National Guard". Instead of following up on the question, the next day, the McCain camp screamed the CNN was unfair and sexest. That charge effectively stopped anymore queries from CNN. The failure to question our present president and his band of cronies has resulted in the biggest deficits in the history of the country, not to mention the crimes against humanity, lies and deceit which has become a daily occurance from the Republican Administration. The press should stop worrying about the Rush Limbaugh crowd and start reporting the truth.

That ad is disgusting and deserves 300 pinocchios... and RE: the comments here, it's very interesting that the obviously liberal comments are well-reasoned and thoughtful and the obviously right-wing comments are totally whack-a-doo... I guess all the reasonable Republicans are no longer Republicans, eh??? :)

i would have expected this kind of trash from the 527's but not an honorable and decent man like john mccain. this is truly a shame. and sarah palin, a good christian would denounce this kind of rubbish; be true to yourself and your values.

This is a Classic Rove, Schmit and Davis move ... throw lots of Attacks -

First they must answer to attacking Miss Peggy!

Schmidt, Rove and Davis are attacking a Pig Wearing Lipstick? Because they branded Governor Sarah Palin as their Pit bull wearing Lip stick? What is the difference between a Pig and a Pit bull?

Pigs, also called hogs or swine, are ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food, leather, and similar products since ancient times. From Wikipedia

Pit Bull is a term commonly used to describe several breeds of dog in the Molosser family that were historically used for dog fighting. From Wikipedia

Proof that they are attempting to steal the Pet, Lip stick and Fashion vote!

I never thought this election might be decided on Missy Piggy vs Pit Bull with lip stick. I bet the whole world's online community is thinking “So this is America and Democracy?” Yes I say! This is our finest hour! 55 more days!

In my storage room where I parked my computer this artist is looking for a quick response ... Democrat's courting Republican and Independent voters who love pets, lipstick and fashion.

This article gets it wrong. The language of the bill clearly states "Comprehensive sex education grades K,6-12." There is absolutley no stipulation regarding limiting the sex-ed to "touching." This is a candidate who says he would read a book about homosexual princes to his 9 year old child!

That's right Dave there is simply no reason for a 9 year old to learn about homosexuals, or inappropriate touching. There's plenty of time for a 9 year old to learn that kind of stuff from their friends at school or a baby sitter. A teacher conveying that type of information in a controlled setting like a school is just crazy. Next thing you know they'll want to teach the kids to read and then they'll be able to read about those homosexuals and touching on their own. My God!

McCain sucks, he is worthless old fart that needs to go hang at the VFW bar and tell his war stories. That's what it's like at the VFW bar. Same guys same stories. Hey I'm a vet too I understand that serving our country is important. I have a plate in my head to prove it. I am sick and tired of him and his stupidity. the Dumb (McLame)and Dumber (Palin) ticket is what I am calling it. HEY PALIN GET A CLUE DUMBASS. Our government isn't in the Mortgage business, if it were I am sure you'd abuse your privledges here too. These two morons are a pathetic excuse for republicans...they are nothing more that corporate schills that have done nothing for anyone but themselves. Their extreme selfishness is sickening.

I just want to say that I did hear with my own ears my good friend Mr. Obama say that sex education for kindergartners was the "right thing to do". The bill he voted for clearly says "Comprehensive sex education grades K,6-12." That is a true fact not like all those "facts" I put in my movie. By the way, pay no attention to 10 degree below average temperatures for the past three weeks in MN. It's now "Climate Change" everybody- pass it on!

John McCain and Lipstick biyatch are so incompetent that I'd rather have 4 more years of dubbyah and darth. They are the worst of all possible possibilities. If OBAMA-BIDEN don't win, this country is over. But I have faith that won't happen.
McCain is the biggest fraud and liar ever.

I add my voice. McCain is a liar, and he has no honor, he has nothing like goodness and tolerance and respect guiding him. He only wants to win - doesn't matter how. In addition, he is WAY too OLD to be President. He's too old. His entire countenance is about the past, and America needs the future at this critical juncture in our history. If McCain wins, you can kiss this country goodbye.

Fewer wars, lower taxes for all but the super-rich, better education, more available healthcare...that Democrat vision sounds like a living nightmare. Why would any sane republican change their allegiances just to be subjected to such misery?

McCain's campaign is so negative and so sophmoric that it makes you suspect that Obama must be ahead by 14 points nationally and that the convention histrionics failed and the pollsters inflated the old quipsters numbers to make it a fair fight.

sheeeshh....just reading the posts so far, dang are you Democrats hopping mad when your candidate is called out on his...wait for it...record! How much easier it was when Obama could just pontificate billowy words about 'hope' and 'future' and not have to actually demonstrate any real-world accomplishments that qualify him to be President.

Now he actually has to answer for the few votes on which he actually bothered to lodge a 'yes' or 'no' (instead of the more convenient 'present' vote), and you guys can't stand it.

I agree; we should go back to bashing a conservative woman for having a pregnant teenager and not aborting a handicapped baby.....that was much more relevant than voting records and stuff.

Democrat mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown, this morning: "we [Democrats] don't play defense well". You got that straight....just look at this message board! A Democrat gets called out on his voting record, and all the Democrats can do is name-call and accuse everybody of being racist. No intelligent discussion from Dem's whatsoever.

Have to admit thought...it is kind of funny to sit back and watch the Democrats, who thought they had this sewn up months ago, completely implode and react in panicked emotional upheavals at the very thought that Obama could really let this slip away.

I still think Obama will win, to be honest. But it's fun to watch you guys go bonkers when your liberal friends in the media can no longer protect their hand-picked favorite Obama 24/7. Of course Republicans have to pay for their air time, while Democrats get a lot of theirs free via a compliant lap-dog MSM....

Does the Post have any Fact-Checkers who Fact-Check Michael Dobbs? In the usual "non-partisan media's" partisan fashing he goes out of his way to explain to readers what the bill was "really intended for", instead of sticking to the facts of what the bill really said.

In addition, he does his best to let Obama off the hook by claiming he merely voted for it, and wasn't a 'sponsor'. Not being a sponsor hasn't stopped Obama from claiming in prior ads to have "led the way" and "pushed through" other types of legislation, when the truth is that he merely logged a vote.

Hopefully Dobbs will make his way around to Fact-Checking Obama sometime by December...

To introduce the country to Governor Palin, the McCain campaign has decided to misrepresent her record. When caught they decided to repeat proven falsehoods. Now repeating falsehoods seems to be the basis of their whole campaign. They are openly dishonest.

ROFL, you think that 5 year old kids can even equate that they have been touched innapropriately?

check your facts, most "kids" of abuse are not noticable until ages 8 + when they start writing stories and drawing creative pictures outside of teh home. when thier "personalitys" begin to truly develop and they can show "uncommon" traits usually attributed to uncommon home conditions.

this legislation is blatant liberal junk, and mccains commercial was fit to call it out as what it was.

for those of you focusing on the "generally positive article" palins hometown papers also painted her in a positive light before teh campaign started, and now people claim things that never occured.

face it, obamas smear campaign is a last ditch effort to beat the landslide victory that is headed his way.

THATS two years in a row where the liberals have picked someone too liberal to beat a republican when republican support was the lowest in decades, good job DNC.

The facts: 1. The bill was not Obama's. The sponsors were Democrats Carol Ronen, M. Maggie Crotty, Susan Garrett , Iris Y. Martinez and Jeffrey M. Schoenberg 2. The measure never passed. 3. The legislation in several places said all sex ed had to be "age and developmentally appropriate." Obama backed teaching youngsters about inappropriate touching by strangers. 4. The bill would let parents opt out of a sex education course.

>>The bill he voted for clearly says "Comprehensive sex education grades K,6-12." That is a true fact not like all those "facts"
How stupid do you think we are?
That's the title of the bill, nimrod. It doesn't go into birth control with kinder garden students, at that level its aim is to make them aware of what constitutes inappropriate behavior from an adult. The goal is to have them tell a responsible adult if this is happening to them so that the molester can be stopped.
So, congratulations on coming down on the side of child molesters (they don't like the bill either, it increases the risk of detection and apprehension), given the Republican record on perverse sexual activities it fits right into what you people consider "family values".

I think the Interior Dept. inspector general said it best: the Bush administration fosters "a culture of ethical failure." McCain is doing everything he can to live down to the slime of the Bush administration. He is a worthy successor.

McCain is a liar. Palin is a liar. And the media which fails to call them on these lies is complicit in subverting our election.

Your weak journalistic abilities baited us in to read this drivel. Was your journalism school online, or based on 'life experience'?
Obama has no record of substance on Education, and you can show your typical media bias by spinning it any way you want. Back to the meail room with you, if they will have you. The quality of this paper continues on that long downward spiral.

I think you are correct Dijetlo,it has always been a holly roller or Republican caught face down in the mattress with a crack pipe while some body is cornholeing the daylights out of them telling other people how to live .Just pure hypocrisy

As a woman, one of the things that concerns me about Gov Palin is that she returned to work three days after giving birth. At a time when legislation is being pushed to allow women more time after giving birth to be with their baby, I think her action sends the wrong message and children could suffer. I do not feel that she represents me as a woman. I do not identify with her idea of family values. If her daughter was going to be married, why did they not just get married instead of putting a very private matter on national tv? I do not feel that this showed good judgement. Sending e-mails to her husband of state business did not show good judgement.

Is ANYONE actually surprised that repubs would stoop this low? They can't run on record or facts, so it's about "personalities" or "themes". Repubs think this a sign of manliness or agressiveness instead of a sign of dishonor. Repubs are in love with style over substance, something limpballs derided in the eighties and nineties, but now embraced since it's his eunuch and pig.

McCain is correct! Nothing of changes in the education in USA.
The young are very prepared to the market of job. They speak more of one language. They know history, geography and culture of all countries...
If Americans want more studies, then they go to China. Therefore in China the government is doing biggest investments in education.

It's all working according to plan...and to think we don't even have the evil Karl Rove running things. Liberals are hyperventilating as they watch another election slip through their hands. You act like your party has never used despicable ads. Get a little tougher and get over it--you're going to LOSE again! Bye bye.

Democrats, folks like 'dee' are doing you no favors. You post all these messages on here about McCain and Palin's alledged lies and half-truths, and then have someone from your side like 'dee' post the fiction above.

It took me three minutes to find the Inspector General's report and comments. Neither "Bush" nor "Bush administration" appeared anywhere. His comment about a 'culture of ethical failure' referred specifically to that office in Denver.

So you guys can continue to complain about McCain and Pailin all you want, but as long as you have people like 'dee' on your side passing lies along, you might as well aim a 12-gauge at your foot and pull the trigger.

You are correct friend. Republicans need to win right. Therefore republicans brings more education, more jobs, more health care, more security, less inflation, less insolvency, less crisis in the economy and less wars.
Americans, vote in McCain&Palin for USA to continue wonderful as was the last 8 years...Nothing of changes!

I cant beleive McCain or his Camp sent an ad like this out, what a SHAME this election year has become.
First grabbing news coverage with all the lies about the bridge and crap McCain had nothing to do with stopping, and then trying to get back on the headlines with the whole " Lipstick" shtick, and now this.JOHN MCCAIN SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF.
I, for one, have 4 daughters all growing up in this fast paced world, and i guarantee i will appreciate any and all education my children get on how not to be molested, how not to be taken advantage of.I cant imagine Dave, or any of MCCANTS campaign advisors have children, or they would have seen the serious offensive nature of this ad.
They should be brought up on serious ethics charges , and not allowed to release any more campaign ads without a third party approval.!

I must say it's rather disconcerting reading some of the people's responses here. People are accusing Senator Obama of wanting to teach sex ed to kindergartners. To those people I ask; did you READ the article or just watch the ad? The Bill favored "education of what inappropriate touching is to protect children from sexual predators."

People, AMERICAN'S, please, put aside your partisan bickering and hate, take the time to research the issues, candidates' stances on them, and then, ONLY then make an educated decision on who is best equipped to lead this country in the right direction.

This isn't American Idol folks; these votes will materially affect our lives and our children's lives -- American lives. The framers fought and put their lives on the line so we could have this privilege and responsibility; let's not take it lightly and PLEASE let's get it right!

My dear Democrats, folks like 'dee' are doing you no favors. It took me 3 minutes to prove the post above is a lie. Nowhere in the IG's report or comments did the word "Bush" or "Bush administration" ever appear. The "culture of ethical failure" line referred specifically to the office in Denver that was investigated.

As long as you have people like 'dee' on here, you can bally-hoo all you want about McCain and Palin's alledged lies and half-truths. Does no good when you turn around and post obvious easy-to-check lies like that.

The McCain camp is running circles around Obama right now. They have him off-message, and for perhaps the first time in modern politics a candidate for President is spending an inordinate amount of time in his speeches campaigning against the other party's VP candidate.

Let me help. Here is how Obama can still win:
Step 1) IGNORE HER - the more you engage and attack Palin, the more her defenders are energized, and undecideds are left wondering why you are spending so much time attacking her. You will never win the experience argument. You will never win the earmark argument. MOVE ON.
Step 2) Avoid the Iraq War and foreign policy. The surge worked, and you can't dispute you were wrong about it. And you aren't going to convince any undecided independent voters that you as a 3 year Senator are more capable to take the reigns of our foreign policy than John McCain is. Stay as far away from Iraq and foreign policy as you can.
Step 3) HAMMER THE ECONOMY. As Bill Clinton taught in 1992, it doesn't matter how much it's true, or whether it's true at all. You have to scare people into thinking they are in the worst economic crisis that has ever faced mankind. Repeat daily. Every single ad you run should be geared toward scaring the willies out of people that their 401k's will go to $0 if you aren't elected.

Seriously, at this point the economy is Obama's only issue he can legitimately debate, no matter what conservatives like myself think of the reality of his tax-and-spend policies. Maybe he needs to call James Carville...

The McCain camp is running circles around Obama right now. They have him off-message, and for perhaps the first time in modern politics a candidate for President is spending an inordinate amount of time in his speeches campaigning against the other party's VP candidate.

Let me help. Here is how Obama can still win:
Step 1) IGNORE HER - the more you engage and attack Palin, the more her defenders are energized, and undecideds are left wondering why you are spending so much time attacking her. You will never win the experience argument. You will never win the earmark argument. MOVE ON.
Step 2) Avoid the Iraq War and foreign policy. The surge worked, and you can't dispute you were wrong about it. And you aren't going to convince any undecided independent voters that you as a 3 year Senator are more capable to take the reigns of our foreign policy than John McCain is. Stay as far away from Iraq and foreign policy as you can.
Step 3) HAMMER THE ECONOMY. As Bill Clinton taught in 1992, it doesn't matter how much it's true, or whether it's true at all. You have to scare people into thinking they are in the worst economic crisis that has ever faced mankind. Repeat daily. Every single ad you run should be geared toward scaring the willies out of people that their 401k's will go to $0 if you aren't elected.

Seriously, at this point the economy is Obama's only issue he can legitimately debate, no matter what conservatives like myself think of the reality of his tax-and-spend policies. Maybe he needs to call James Carville...

Based on some of the negative comments people are not realizing what the bill was intended to do. It was to teach children to learn what is inappropriate behavior and what to do if it happens...NOT TO HAVE SEX! So for anyone who does not understand that, read a little more. Fine if you don't like Obama, but don't believe the ads, they are all misleading!

Its so lame that Racists and White Supremacists(Black man hating lesbians) want to lie and suggest that neither Obama and McCain are good choices lesser of two evils etc. That's so damn disingenuous. We have the SMARTEST MAN TO EVER run for the office and these Idiots are saying he's not fit simply because he's Black.

What case can any of you NUTS make against Obama? You know damn good and well only the DUMBEST of an Idiot would think that Obama's wants five year olds to have sex education.

What he said was that if DIRTY OLD 72 year old men who would dump their sick wives for a millionairiss and would select a neophyte fresh from being a member of the PTA-a Pig with a wig-as his running mate want to give you candy in the form of LIES about change to bewhere.

What the Idiots don't realize is by making these DUMB charges they give Barack a chance to shine and show how intelligent he is and how DUMB and petty the Racists, White Supremacists and Black man hating lesbians are.

Sara Palin is the new “STEPFORD CANDIDATE“ and “STEPFORD FAMILY“ for John MCCAIN. She walks and talks like a MCCAIN CLONE. She won’t speak to the public because she is being conditioned. She lies so easily and she just doesn’t get it. How can a woman, a mother let a man rape her in the public arena by using her baby, her oldest son and her daughter for his political gain. She has allowed her innocent family to be subjected to this increasingly disturbed political fight for his life. He could not win on his own. His own family was not real enough so he brings her in. He didn’t have a teenage daughter that was pregnant. He doesn’t have a child with special needs. She can at least identify with some people in the country but by all means she does not represent or share the views of many woman in the United States. She has been calls herself names that will identify with someone that is ferocious and on the attack. I forgot one adjective: GYNOID: (from Greek γυνη, gynē - woman) is a term used to describe a robot designed to look like a human female, as compared to an android modeled after a male. At the end of this we see all the Republicans at the end of the RNC, cheering her on. WAKE ME UP. Why does America need to lead by attacking and bullying everyone in the world. They have no idea what the American people need. We won’t have to worry about 4 more years of the Republican party we won’t make it to the end of the year. McCain has said some pretty “piggish” remarks himself why don’t you replay those? LETS GET BACK TO THE ISSUES

The distortion and lies of this and recent political campaigns is going to put off moderate citizens that should be deeply concerned with REAL issues. What boggles my mind is the lack of attention being paid by media coverage to conversations from the candidates on economic policy, foreign policy, health care, or any number of issues based on reality. The tabloid, buzzword, short-attention span BS has to stop. The lipstick 'scandal' is BS. Discussion about policies on education is not. Lipstick trumped the real discussion and, I, as a voter, am getting seriously PO'd at the lack of meat and potatoes real issue coverage. One of my main concerns is reducing troops abroad for economic and diplomatic reasons. Why aren't comments about Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc. the headlines? Shame on voters for falling for smear tactics and shame on the country for just being grotesquely, abhorrently puerile and asinine when it comes to politics and issues.

I can't believe you said that the ad gives the "impression that all the quotes came from Education Week." That is only true if you can't read or are stupid. All the quotes are clearly labeled with where they came from. The other issue is that Obama didn't sponsor the bill only supported it, well since he didn't sponsor much of anything in his tenure as a statesman what do you expect them to go by. And finally of course it's biased it's a political ad they are supposed to be biased.

"Its so lame that Racists and White Supremacists(Black man hating lesbians) want to lie and suggest that neither Obama and McCain are good choices lesser of two evils etc. That's so damn disingenuous. We have the SMARTEST MAN TO EVER run for the office and these Idiots are saying he's not fit simply because he's Black."

Hmmm... Real Brother, that is a very well reasoned argument; objective and insightful. I was considering disagreeing with the above, but since that would be construed as racist I shall refrain. I only hope that you, Real Brother, and other such scholars, get as much publicity as possible. I'm sure that Barack "the smartest man ever" Obama will be much benefited in his attempt to win the presidency by such intelligent discourse. Have you considered working for NBC? I understand they are looking for an objective journalist like yourself to fill one of the spots recently vacated by the sycophantic Keith O. and Chris M.

With each added Pinocchio, the nose should get longer till the figure topples over.

If this is the quality of the ads put out by the campaign, I wonder what the 527's are going to be like. Obama with horns and a tail?
I have a funny story about sex education in kindergarten. One day my husband was driving his 6 year old daughter home and asked her what they did today. She replied, we learned about sperming the egg - he nearly drove into a ditch. Turns out they were having a unit where they would watch chicks hatch from eggs. A scientist in the making was my feeling about the whole thing.

it is not that Obama calls everybody who doees not vote for him a racist...it is just that for the majority of folks who will not vote for him, even after they see what has happened in the past eight years and even after they see how the McCain campaign is being run and even after they see that Obama is trying...that's right trying...to talk about issues that concern all of us...but the only thing the McCain "Straight Talk Express" is trying to do is disparage Obama's record by lie after lie after lie after lie, then it does make ONE wonder...now just why are you choicing McCain over Obama. People wake up...you may not care about struggling through 8 more years...but think about your children and grandchildre...at the end of this year the country is going to have over 400 trillion dollar deficit???? Without a new direction and a person that has some wisdom and vision, we are setting our children up for failure and hard times.

They try to talk about Obama not having enough experience to Lead this country...but those of us that know God...know that it does not take EXPERIENCE...it takes WISDOM to be a GREAT LEADER...just look at the many stories in the Bible where GOD chose a MAN of WISDOM...who had no experience to LEAD his children...Let's say David for example!!!!

How did this only get 3 pinocchios? I'd say "Obama's one accomplishment? Legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners.'" qualifies as a whoppers any day of the week. I mean, it's not his one accomplishment (not only has he done other things, but this isn't even his (he wasn't even a cosponsor) and it's not even AN accomplishment since it never went to a full vote), and it wasn't legislation to teach comprehensive sex education to kindergartners.

It's truly amazing to see the same underhanded flat-out lies and tactics that got "W" elected work for McCain, but then look at the lowlife advisors he has... all of them on his top echelon are lobbyists by trade. These geniuses are all graduates of Karl (the criminal) Rove's CLOSE COVER BEFORE STRIKING school of devious politics. McCain's bus should be re-named the:

"BIG FAT LIAR'S EXPRESS"

But then... there's some truth to the notion that if you tell a lie enough times and to enough people, it WILL be perceived as truth. Obama was on Letterman last night, and its so easy to see his charm, sense of humor, and love of his wife and kids. It was as American as apple pie. This guy won't cheat on his wife for 6 years, dump her, and marry a 17 year-old like McCain did. He's really what this country needs right now... and I'm a registered republican who voted for Romney in the MASS primary.

The Post's fact checker favors Obama over McCain; that much is obvious and expected. The truth here, regardless of the ad, is that Obama is in the pocket of the teachers unions and they, in turn, like many other unions, care only about the workers and not the work. They are the reason for the state of education in America. Obama is too closely allied with the teachers unions and this prevents him from having a workable education plan other than to vacillate from here to there, as the Post writer admits, when trying to please all of the people all of the time. Obama is smart and, we must presume, will learn from his mistakes. He will be a viable candidate when he next runs against Sarah Palin in 4 or 8 years. Maybe then he will have the smarts to put Hillary on his ticket. Should she beat him out for the nomination, she likely will return the favor from this year and drop him. Unless she can find an Obama clone, that will seal her fate. Of course, it may be sealed anyway if McCain/Palin do a creditable job over the next four years.

A previous commenter noted that the "Contact Us" link on edweek.org's main page is currently unavailable. If you would like to contact Education Week we can be reached at (800) 346-1834 or (301) 280-3100. We can also be reached here: http://www.edweek.org/info/about/contacts.html

I've read a lot of complaints about the ad , but I haven't seen the actual state Senate bill published by any media. Where is it? Tough to call an ad a lie unless the bill is read. PLEASE PUBLISH THE BILL!
P.S. I do think it's funny that McCain's ad suggests that Obama's one legislative accomplishment was to sponsor that bill, but actually Obama "just supported" it. That means he has no bills or accomplishments and The Post is indirectly making the republicans' case regarding Obama's utter lack of qualifications.

This election is not about lipstick. This election is about the future of this country.

Obama's entired adult life has been nothing but a record that shows he hates the United States Constitution, The U.S. Traditions, Values, Customs, and position in the world.

His early mentors are Bill Ayers, a known Domestic Terrorist. One of the men he studied was another communist, Alinsky. His Preacher, Jeremiah Wright, is A Racist and Preaches it in his pulpit, and Obama said that this was his Spiritual Advisor for over 20 years. Not only did Jeremiah Wright Teach Hate Whitey, he also Taught Hate The United States. Obama's monetary supporters and cronies is Tony Rezco, a convicted Mobster. Obama's Community Organizing Days was working for ACORN, a communist Front organization that as part of their political strategy to Register Illegals To Vote; Register Dead People to Vote; Register people numerous times with different aliases; and the list of ACORN illegal activities goes on and on, and the Liberal Democrat Congress funds this Marxist and Illegal organization.

Obama is corrupt, Anti-American, and A Racist. He not only is not fit to be President of The Country that He and His Associates Vowed To Destroy, More Likely, if he were propertly investigated, he would be Indicted For Subversive and Traitorous activities, and tried as an Enemy of the United States. The list of Obama's other Negative Beliefs, and Works could go on and on, but after what you already know about this Dangerous and Stupid man is not enough, then you must be a True Believer in the Same Principles of Obama, and The Marxists in this government.

It's the "anything to win" philosophies at work. I need to say it: the evangelists gave us George W. Bush; it's hard to believe the American voter will allow them to give us McCain-Palin. McCain has not proven himself trustworthy ever. This "heroic stuff" 30+ years ago has been smirched by his own snide thinking. He can't sell it as a "campaign advisor" taking over. It's not Rove stuff anymore. It's McCain stuff. He will go down in history in every sense of the word.

The Obama response ad should be "John McCain doesn't support legislation protecting our children from sex predators." I am constantly amazed by the negative spin the McCain campaign is able to put on legislation that everyone would agree with. It's absolutely shameful.

What is troubling here is that McCain’s Straight Talk Express must have crashed and burned. The truth was also a casualty in this accident. There is an expression that suggests that lies beget more lies. Each lie becomes a real nightmare because one’s honesty erodes a bit with each new lie until you fall off the trustworthiness cliff. My guess is McCain has passed the point of diminishing returns, so his lies are now cumulating to the point that he is about to find himself in the midst of a credibility freefall by the end of September or early October.

Liars are liars. There's nothing else to call them. Rovian and neo-conservative and modern Republican politics are grounded in the lie and half-truth and misrepresentation. While there are those on the Democratic side who have hands that aren't so clean, they are not covered with bull-s---.

It's odd that a political party that claims to stand for high American principles and values is so gawd-awful low and mean and unprincipled. It's equally odd that so many Americans are snookered by the Republicans -- or maybe not so odd.

See some 2008 issues of the e-zine The Green-Dog Democrat at http://tinyurl.com/578g2r. Recommend February 9, March 7, April 9-11, July 15, August 6, August 17, and September 1. Share them with some folks who are falling for or not repelled by the McCain campaign bull-s---.

I find that, shading the facts in favor of Obama. He supported sex education, he "treads a fine line on vouchers", when he voted with party against them. He served on the Annenberg Challenge board which hasn't published a paper much improved the educational system of Chicago.

The frequency with which the McCain camp is demonstrating a lack of integrity in its campaign ads should be of great concern to voters. The current administration, which McCain has agreed with 90+ percent of the time, has misled and otherwise lied to the America people and gotten this country in a dismal condition, as well as its reputation round the world. McCain is Bush's mirror!

The bill in question actually gave local school districts the mandate to decide what was in their sex-education programs -- so by no stretch of the imagination was it a case of Obama forcing sex-ed on kindergartners.

It seems it doesn't matter how often the truth is repeated, if a lie is what people want to believe.

When is everyone going to grasp the fact that the GOP campaign [diatribe?] is another Bush-Cheyney-Rove operation. Same old crap engineered by the same people who will be part of the baggage that McCain-Palin will carry with them everywhere they go. God help us if it is the White House again. Will we never learn?

It's a good thing Liars have the Republican Party to stand up for their God-given rights to slander and calumny. Liar-Americans, unite under the McCain/Palin banner! In this at least, they are showing unchallenged leadership abilities!

This ad is not about education or Obama's policy position on education. It is just another page in the chapter of today's American politics (unfortunately).

The politics of Rove prey upon the abject ignorant and those that are too lazy to become informed. Therefore, Rove and his protege Rick Davis are purely opportunists. Witness, Rove is an aetheist who has used the Evangelicals to reach the rabid masses and acheived mutual political benefit. It doesn't matter that these Pulpit Persecutors cut deals with the devil.

Folks... neither facts nor the truth will matter until the masses want to learn.

Returning to the subject: Education is not an issue in this ad. Hence why we get silence on McCain's education policy. When are we going to want to learn?

McCain has started to run the typical Republican gutter campaign designed to distort the record of his democratic opponent. The admiration that I had for McCain in the 2000 campaign has long since dissipated. This country is facing some serious political and economic problems. We deserve to know what a McCain presidency would do to address these issues.

McCain claims, as a large part of his qualifications to be President, his military service, and especially his Naval Academy and POW experiences. At Canoe U, the motto is "I shall not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do."

As a former McCain supporter, circa 1999, I long ago heard the flushing sound as those ethics when down the tube. That flush was part of a larger flush of ethics imposed on the Republican party be the bush regime.

This is a good article, but it is focusing on documenting the obvious. The Republican party motto now days is "I will lie, cheat and steal and vote for those who do." Semper Fidelis

It's amazing how so many Republicans are believing the hype. Can you honestly tell me that paying $3.69+ for a gallon of gas and having to pay $4/milk and having record budget deficits, high unemployment for people with college degrees, high home foreclosures, increasing bank failures and the big 3 automakers coming to Washington for a handout is the right direction for our country? I worked in the school system for two years as a substitute teacher, 2 1/2 years in the U.S. Army and a graduate from James Madison University and a person of color and the RNC looked very cold and uninviting to anyone of color. What is an evangelical? Does that include the millions of people of color who are devout Christians who are Baptist, Methodist, COGIC, COG of Prophecy or is there another category for us because these evangelicals would have you believe that people of color don't believe in God at all. Can somebody tell me what's the proper classification for the rest of the people who are Christian are suppose to be, but I thought there was only Believers and non-believers? Either way, the RNC knows that they can't address the real issues facing REAL AMERICANS and so they effectively have us off track with name calling and down right lies that is soooooo pervasive in politics.

We could have hoped that McCain, as a prior victim of Big Lie politics, and a front-row witness to the shameless "Swiftboating" of others, might relent from those tactics in his own race. But then, we could have hoped that McCain, a prior victim of torture, and a long-time opponent of such conduct, would have stood by his principles. Sadly, ambition is more important to him than even these principles.

At this point, I will not be surprised by any lie the McCain campaign peddles. Nor by the ready credulousness of his advocates; after his campaign blatantly admitted they think "facts don't matter", nobody else should be surprised, either

This pick of Sarah Palin from Mccain just shows me one thing, it doesn't matter what your experiences is how many times you have met someone and ( Not Country First), if you are white its all right. What happen to keeping this country safe, if Mccain dies in office and she takes over and this woman has (NO) I repeat (NO) experience in foreign policy, (NO) domestic experience, (NO) economic experience but this country loves her, so I guess that's not important to the country, it's just because she (WHITE) and that's ALRIGHT!!! Now for you same people out here that are going crazy over this pick (Palin), ask yourself would you be saying the same thing had Obama pick some with Palin experiences, I don't think so, NOW JUST IMAGINE IF SHE WAS (BLACK) I rest my case!!!!

This is what the right wing racist republicans do, they lie /, they smear, and they show no shame about it, because they know that some white people in this country will believe anything they hear without even looking it up or asking any questions, so as long as they know that this country is divided along racial line, they're always going to run lying adds and smear tactics, why hell its not that hard in this election, just look at who their running against an (African American)so they know just throw up lying adds and some white americans will believe anything.

I am afraid your fact checkers have failed to check the facts. Illinois SB 99 (available through Google search) was and is intended for children K-12. It was and is about comprehensive sex education in order to prevent the spread of HIV. This includes the various forms of prevention (condoms, etc.).

You parents decide, do you want your kindergartner to learn how to apply condoms?

While teaching children about predatory sexual touching, etc. is mentioned in the bill, it is but a sentence in an entire bill devoted to sex education (to prevent HIV) through prevention (condoms, etc.).

Finally, Senator Obama's speech to Planned Parenthood confirms his leadership role much better than "facts checkers."

My first look at your site. Remarkable attempt to twist facts, should be what you call your site. Convenient opinions not facts seem to be your specialty. Lies by Obama don't seem to be published. Shame on people and organizations which twist facts to support their own liar Obama. You fail!!

Guys- I have been all over the internet reading these blogs, and this is the first one I'am responding to. I am so scared, we are more divided than we have every been in this country. The hate and the anger in these blogs break my heart. WE are family guys--AMERICANS. That use to mean something around the world. I don't mean to bring faith into this blog, but all I can say now is GOD bless American because we need it now more than ever. I am afraid of the outcome of this election either way. WE are going to have riots all over the country and alot of AMERICANS are going to be hurt. What is happening to US!

Republican ads and speeches fail a lot of fact-check tests. It has become a traditional way of life with them, muscled up and used to its fullest extent throughout the Bush era. They count on the impatience and short attention span of an oblivious public to do the job for them. Too few make the time and effort to listen to or read any evaluations that separate fact from fiction. Long-nosed Sarah from Wasilla adopted the tenets of deceit really well early in her career, and it is serving her well. Here she is with a good shot of sneaking into the Oval Office through the back door.

Sad American - My deep apprciation for your prayers. I do not know when you got scared? From my perspective, the politics of character assasination have been in effect for a very long time; since my first time voting, 1968.

America long has been and will likely be for a long time, very divided. So if you believe prayer is the remedy, then your faith had better prescribe plentiful amounts of sustained reaction medicine.

It is time for Obama/Biden to list the "accomplishments" of the Bush years, and the legislation and judge appointments that McCain supported,
including:
-opposition to increases in minimal wage
-opposition to Kyoto accords
-opposition to nearly all environmental and conservation measures
-judicial support for eminent domain that reduces the power of the small property owners
-infringement of privacy
The list goes on and on.
With Ike about to hit Texas, why is Al Gore not out there in public assailing the Bush/McCain record on the environment and discussing the "inconvenient truth" of warming of the gulf along with warming of the globe?
Sarah Palin serves as a Rorschach test. And, she is the ultimate distraction from issues, which is exactly why selecting her was so strategic for the Republicans. It would be prudent to just avoid discussing her past, except for facts on her voting and executive record, and it is critical for us to stay focused on the Presidential credentials, or lack thereof, as well as the major issues and approaches that are truly different if we compare in depth the platforms of the two parties. Do we really want the Supreme Court to be completely in the sway of big corportations, to be completely anti-union, to reverse any personal rights during arrest and interrogation, to water down protection of immigrants who are detained, to reduce the rights of women to control their own health care decisions?

There is a book called "Just how stupid are we?" by Rick Shenkman. This book has helped me understand just how America votes.Until I read this book, I used to go around wanting to pound my head along with the persons head I was talking to against a wall trying to make them see the light. Alot of us are incapable of intelligent decision making.It is a fact. A recent example is the Macain/Palin ticket. If a person would really take the time to examine their records, these two would be a joke for president and vice president. Obama is a much more qualified candidate.

Submitted by Tracy Leaman on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 4:06pm. Bush / GOP Sarah Palinhttp://ndnblog.org/node/2775
This is finally it for me, the straw that has broken the proverbial moose’s back! I thought maybe it would be her membership in "Feminists for Life", the staggering amount of hypocrisy coming from her camp, her daughter being the poster child for what happens when we teach our children that birth control is dangerous, the stance on how her daughter's pregnancy is a "family matter" we should all stay out of, but my private medical decisions should be made by politicians, because they are not "family matters"?

But no, none of that has enraged me as much as the most recent discovery that while Sarah Palin was Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she charged rape survivors for their rape kits. A rape kit is a sexual assault forensic evidence kit, used to collect DNA that can be used in criminal proceedings to assist in the conviction of those who commit sex crimes. The kit is performed as soon as possible after a sexual assault or attack has been committed. As a general rule, rape survivors (nor victims of any other crime) are never charged for collection of evidence.

While Palin was Mayor, survivors were charged between $300 - $1200 for rape kits. As someone who has been a long time volunteer at my local rape crisis center, I have seen way too many rape kits administered over the years. It is not a pleasant process for survivors, but more of a re-victimization. And to be charged in order for the police department to collect the evidence, is yet another re-victimization!

And to add insult to injury, once you have been through this traumatic ordeal, then been charged for the police to collect the evidence, Sarah Palin will have 1. blocked the ER from allowing you to receive emergency contraception before you leave so that you can make sure you are not impregnated by your rapist and 2. if you do become pregnant by your rapist, she does not support your right to an abortion in the case of such violence.

NOTE: Gov. Tony Knowles signed a sexual assault bill to change this horrible policy in 2000.

This country has gone down hill on the express since your sainted Bill Clinton declared that getting a b_ _ _ j_ _ is not sex!!! Da! Wake up America, look at what has happened to our youth since SEX EDUCATION was taken over by the schools and government! The only thing it has taught them is how to have it, but not respect it. They teach them to experiment hetrosexually and homosexually without any regard to the fact that these kids are missing out on one of the most wonderful experiences we humans have. They have become immune to emotions and feelings, just like they are to these movies where heads are cut off in plain sight. We have created a generation of INSENSITIVE kids. You liberals have robbed the youth of today and I hope when you need them the most, your kids dump you in a nursing home and forget who you are. Wait for the grandkids, they are going to be worse. Liberals have destroyed the morals, they have taken away the pleasures of holidays where basically no one was offended by the religious connection except for the ones it had meaning to. If we don't put some breaks on liberalism this country is doomed. Remember, I believe it was Nostradamus who said "a great country will be destroyed from within". That is US you fools.

The lipstick trick is interesting and amusing, but absurd for sure. What I think is even more amusing is the videos now running on line showing McCain sleeping during hearings and speeches (even Bush's). As a Seventy year old myself, I know how it is. Just getting up in the morning is sometimes reason for a nap. But I don't collect a pay check for sleeping through business. Much is made of all the energy that McCain has and, of course, the more they talk about it the more I am convinced he is just like me, worn out after four or five hours of going at it.

If middle class Americans fall for this crap again it will be truly embarrassing for this country. And if I hear one more politician say "America is not that dumb", i say you're wrong. Middle class Americans (mostly white) are dumb because they go for the same ole marketing scam issued by republicans over and over again.

As an African American person with a household income of > 200K, the tax policies of the republicans benefit me. But because I grew up in a lower-middle class environment my voting focuses on the support of relatives and friends still in the lower-middle class.

But then again, African Americans and Latinos are use to the struggle, don't expect much from this country, and know how to survive. I have no problem with racists because I know where you stand and you're just stupid anyway.

It's you middle class white Americans who will struggle the most. I say you get what you deserve... welcome to the poor house.. because that's where you'll be.

Will the Post kindly publish the entire legislation pertaining to the sex education of kindergartners? We're not interested in the parts of the legislation Obama and his press surrogates now claim for supporting the Legislation.

We would like to see the entire Sex Education Bill Obama voted for and make the determination ourselves. Obama’s stance on education may be similar to Biden’s stance on abortion. Do they both say one thing about education and/or abortion but vote in an opposite manner?

We don't need to rely on Facts Checker". Rather, publish the legislation and let the public determne for themselves the facts. Let's see if we're getting more "press spin" or the belated "slanted sizzle" in an attempt to influence the election one way or the other.

Portions of the bill are quoted, as are portions of the 2004 debate between Obama and Alan Keyes. Factcheck.org mentions education bills that Obama did sponsor. And factcheck.org has more details on the three cherry-picked quotes, including the misattribution to the Chicago Tribune.

Those who are more interested in perpetuating lies should avoid fact checking.

I neglected to point out in my previous post that factcheck.org includes a link to the Illinois General Assembly website and SB0099, including the list of the real sponsors (which did not include Senator Obama).

I don't know what comprehensive sex ed means in the context of kindergarteners, but i do know that as of today that is not the law in illinois; so i guess whatever it was, the people of illinois didn't want it.

Certainly just teaching you about good touch and bad touch doesn't seem like "comprehensive" sex ed to me. It seems more like "limited." There is an ambiguity that the WAPO needs to address with more than a dismissive comment.

As for the people complaining that the lipstick comment is a distraction i would say this. Women, and everyone who cares about women's equality, have a right to ask the question: is this presidential candidate a pig. Not Palin, but Obama, and not an actual pig but a sexist pig. Obama clearly has a tin ear in relating to women, and has come off at times as sexist, such as in his "sweetie" gaffe. Now you are free to judge the lipstick on a pig comment however you want, but don't pretend the question is irrelevant. Character counts, and whether Obama will treat women as equals matters.

As for the substance of the thing, I find it interesting that once again Obama is going through a process of telling one story, then when he feels it is not holding up, shifting to a new story. First, he says that he wasn't talking about Palin at all. Then when it became clear that this wasn't putting it to bed, he goes on letterman and says yes it was referring to her, but in the metaphor palin was the lipstick and mccain was the dog. That would sound pretty plausible, if he said that in the first place.

And one more thing. How hypocritical is it that the left suddenly wants to focus on "issues" when for months they were telling us that skinny = black, that the 3 am ad was racist (don't ask--its too stupid), when Obama repeatedly claimed he was or was about to be the victim of racism, and now the latest: Patterson claiming that community organizer was code for "black."

I heard the ad and read the article. It seems to me that the ad was essentially accurate. If the complaint is that it does not point out the short comings of McCain then perhaps the complainers are from a different planet.

Just how low can the GOP go? They are really desperate!
I think it's great to teach kindergartners about inappropriate touching. You'd hope the parents would teach their children but not all do and schools are a place of learning.
And the GOP thinks this is bad sex education. They're so out of touch it makes me wonder how they ever got where they are.

This ad is insulting. McCain comes from military royalty so to speak. I respect his years of service but in no way will i equate that with good judgement. McCain from the outset of his election stated that we was NOT going to run a smear campaign. Well, where I come from your word is your bond. He, being a military man, knows this. He is resorting to such cheap tactics and his integrity has gone to the wayside. It is a sad spectacle for me to watch. The way they are running their campaign with all of the phoney "oh i am a victim of sexism" baloney has turned me completely off. My vote is going to the Democrats. McCain's camp needs to watch it. He can't win the election without the majority of the independent votes.

Oh yeah.. THAT Obama education plan.. The one Barry and William Ayers worked on with PLO terrorist turned Obama campaign financier- and PLO/Arafat Advisor "Edward Saeed or Said" however the terrorists spells it..

I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED
I am an Evangelical White Woman
I cannot believe for one moment that the Obama Campaign will be behind in any poll at this stage of the game. We have 50 more days to go and to some that’s a lot of time. At this stage of the game where the Republican Party has absolutely nothing to show for the eight years that they have occupied the White house, steady JOB LOSS, WORST ECONOMY IN SINCE WORLD WAR 2, FIGHTING A SENSELESS WAR THAT HAS COST US OUR FINEST YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, AND FINANCIL DEFICIT, BANCKRUPT SOCIAL SECURITY, AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS, yet the Republicans are leading in the polls.

What is the Obama Campaign doing to allow the Senator to become defensive on his own message?
What happened to the message of change? Why did the Obama Campaign and the Democratic Party stand so flat footed to allow John MacCain and the Republican Party to dispossess them of their trade mark message of CHANGE? This election is not about Obama vs McCain. It is about the Republican Party that has wrecked this nation for the past eight years, with all kinds of lies, and scandals Vs the Democrats. Yet at this stage of the game instead of the Democrat celebrating a double digit lead in all of the polls, it is the Republicans that are in the lead. We all understand that the Republicans are the party of lies, but didn’t the Democrat learn anything from the past two elections that the Republicans will do what ever it takes to win? If this party supported by John MacCain and George Bush will lie to this Nation about Weapons of Mass Destruction and lead us to this costly war that has completely drained this Nation out of its money to the point that we now depend on China and Japan to borrow money for daily survival, can now lead in this very serious and historic election, then we are heading for a disaster in November.

If Obama was nominated to lead the Democratic Party because the Nation wanted change, then will the Obama Campaign allow John McCain and Sarah Palin to now become the champion of Change? This is the same Old Republican John McCain, Regardless of his vice presidential pick, should not be separated from George Bush, and Republican Party that has wrecked this nation.

It is very embarrassing and disheartening to see that with all of the money that we have donated to this campaign by us Grassroots, Suffering, and mostly Unemployed Poor –Middle Class Americans to be trailing in the polls. Are these Campaign Staffers getting paid or are they volunteers? What are we the Registered Democrats still waiting for?
We are sitting around and allowing Sarah Palin like her boss John McCain tell of these lies about her experience, and the “ bridge to Nowhere” over and over, yet we do not see the outrage in this. It seems that we are about to this election again if we continue this trend. Are we now getting comfortable loosing when it comes to the big one? How come a man like John McCain who is considered the reject of the Republican Party Insiders now galvanizing his party?

I will tell you the reason. The Republicans once saw this election as a loosing effort, so they just dashed it out to a man that they have rejected three times in a row. By his age, they considered John McCain as the sacrificial lamb, so the Party Insiders made him the front runner for that the Democrats to pounce on while the party regroup for the 2012 Elections. As it is now, the Democrats are about to blow this one big time.

The Democratic Party has the biggest and best brand name in present day American Politics BILL CLINTON. Why are the Democrats not running on his record? If this election is about change we must remember that this man brought the best Economic Change to America in recent times. Let us use the CLINTONS.

You know, I used to be sick and tired of the Republicans complaining about the big bad liberal media. Then I realized it wasn't just foolishness. It' a brilliant strategy. When your campaigns are built around half-truths, misdirection, and outright lies you have to expect to be called on it sometimes (though far too infrequently because the mainstream media has, in fact, been neutered). So what do you do when you're actualy called out? Say that it's that dirty East Coast Liberal Media again!

Does the media really have "liberal" slant? I don't see it, but it sure plays well with right-wing base. And remember the strategy, say it over and over and people will eventually start to believe it.

From the Wall Street Journal:
“A few days ago I talked politics with Donn Teske, the president of the Kansas Farmers Union and a former Republican. Barack Obama may come from a big city, he admits, but the Farmers Union gives him a 100% rating for his votes in Congress. John McCain gets a 0%. "If any farmer in the Plains States looked at McCain's voting record on ag issues," Mr. Teske says, "no one would vote for him." ”

McCain and the GOP are liars. They can only win an election if they lie. The sad part is Americans are pretty stupid. And there are far too many people who believe anyone but the black guy.

The nation will be pay for their stupidity and racial hatred and bias. Lets put the man in the Whie house who has a wife that wears $5.000 dresses to wear. They are in touch alright they have eight homes that are investments

Tom says: "While a simple minded person might not understand that when the Chicago Tribune's logo is posted on the screen at the same time a quote is broadcast that the quote can be attributed to the Chicago Tribune, it should be expected that a 'fact checker' would honestly report that"

You miss the point, Tom. Ads like this are precisely targeting the "simple minded person" and not the "fact checker." The McCain campaign is well aware that many--perhaps the majority--of people will not bother to check the facts but will accept the claims it makes at face value.

An informed electorate would truly make this kind of ad obsolete. Unfortunately, that's not the electorate we have. Have you listened to people interviewed on the streets by Jay Leno in his "Jaywalking" segments? A huge portion of the voting-age population is clueless. Many more have ideological blinders that color the truth. McCain is appealing to people's stereotypes about "liberals" and demonstrating a shameless disregard for truth, turning a bill designed to protect children from sexual predators into one trying to teach them how to have sex or the like.

If the Obama campaign were to sink to McCain's level, it would run a counter-ad saying that McCain wants to expose your children to sexual predators. Actually, that would be closer to the truth than McCain's ad, since McCain has come out against the bill to protect children from such abuse.

Is this anything New? McCain has Rove on his payroll....He uses the Book of Dirty Tricks from the neo-Con Right...They will SAY anything, They will Lie They will Cheat and they will use any excuse because they think we are stupid.
McCain is a liar as is Palin....And those who tout Palin's experience....One can hit themselves on the head with a hammer 50 times and say they have experience but they have a distinct lack of good judgment

Why do you think farmers unions support Obama and not McCain? It's because McCain wants to end the billions of dollars in farm-welfare going to wealthy farmers, not just small mom-and-pop farms. Obama has no problem continuing to dole heaps of cash out of the federal coffers to wealthy farmers as long as they will endorse him.

I don't have a URL, but having watched the first segment tonight of Gibson's interview with Palin on CBS News I assume that's what you are referring to. She did NOT say "we can take on Russia".

Gibson was asking her opinion on the current Georgia/Russia conflict, and was obviously bouncing around testing her knowledge of NATO (as he should have).

She, like McCain, endorsed consideration of the Ukraine and Georgia for NATO. Russia obviously doesn't want them in NATO. According to NATO's membership rules, if another NATO member is attacked all members of NATO are expected to help defend.

So, basically Gibson asked Sarah Palin whether, if Georgia were in NATO and Russia attacked Georgia, would Palin say we should engage militarily with Russia.

I don't think Palin outright said "yes", but she definitely allowed for military action against Russia as an 'option'....as she should.

Hopefully that covered the gist....you can probably find a transcript of the interview on abc.com.

Did anyone see the Gibson interview, and catch the implication from Gibson's question about whether Palin had ever been out of the country? He obviously was trying to tie her lack of foreign travel to questions about her abilities in foreign policy.

If I were sitting in Palin's chair, I think I might have answered something like this: "No Charlie, I haven't had the opportunity to travel much in my life. But I would challenge any implication that foreign travel equates to knowledge of foreign policy. After all, Joe Biden has traveled every corner of the plant, and has still managed to come up with fairly horrible foreign policy proposals. Apparantly just visiting countries and shaking hands with their leaders doesn't give you the wisdom you need to make complex judgments on foreign policy issues."

So, you call yourself an evangelical Christian. I thought you Bible tells you to honor God with keeping His commandments.

Also, the God of the Bible says that God is the one who gives you the power to wealth, if you follow His commandments.

So, for the wealth that you crave yet don't see in America, you abandon the commandments of God.

You rather embrace the idelogy of convenience and the party who propagates the sacrifice of children to the god of death for women's convinience, and the party who also endorse the class previliages for those who practice what your God calls 'abomination' sin of homosexual act in Lev. 18:22, Lev.20:13, 1Cor 6:9, Rom 1:26-27, 1Tim 1:10?
(By the way, these verses have nothing to do with Sodom & Gomorrah, but strictly on the sexual relationship as forbidden sexual act.)

Do you think your God will bless America if homosexual-hugging and baby-killing party is elected to the government seat of America?

Now, you have to ask yourself.
Do you really believe the God of whom you suppose to talk about as an evangelical?
Or, are you fooling yourself and God also?

John Mccain protects pedophiles and child predators by opposing the IL legislation Obama voted for. Ironically, the State of Alaska has one of the highest national numbers for child molestations. No wonder they don't like government, big or small.

Reading what Obama said, clearly, the pig he was complaining about is the Republican campaign.
Obviously, Sarah Palin isn’t a pig with lipstick, or even a pit-bull with lipstick.
Actually, she is Dick Cheney with lipstick!

How can we combat this stench from the McCain campaign? We want a campaign on the issues, which discusses the problems of this country based on facts and intelligent opinion from the candidates on how to address them. This kind of advertising is sickening. It continues to pander to the lowest of our capacity, not the highest. No wonder America is in the state it's in today. Is there any way to get to John McCain personally to tell him how upset we are about this kind of campaign?

OK, boys and girls, check out this neutral website . . . their meters should be on the front page of every newspaper every day . . .

www.politifact.org/truth-o-meter/attacks/all/

I'm not surprised that politicians OF BOTH PARTIES act like politicians (gasp!) . . . and I'm persuaded that sometimes the media are NOT as pure as the driven snow (I know, another great shock). I find it curious, though, that the Republicans instinctively like to kill the messenger when they don't like the message. While a few stupid things have been said about Palin (I, for one, don't presume to tell her how to manage her family--GEEZ!), the Republicans are trying to inoculate her from ANY hard criticisms that SHOULD arise as she seeks public office. And they will blame the hated media for its "liberal bias" and will poison the well against any criticism of Palin ("Don't believe ANYTHING negative about Palin because it's those evil reporters working for the evil MSM who are reporting it!"--huh????). But apparently the hateful and false spew billowing forth from Limbaugh and similar morons is exempt from criticism of the media, because "media" is OK if it's right-wing.

I would be willing to listen seriously to either McCain or Palin, as I listen seriously (and critically, trust me) to Obama and Biden if only the McCain/Palin campaign seemed to have some slight regard for the truth (in the first place) and the issues (in the second place).

What happened to the McCain and the Straight Talk Express I respected in 2000?

What many of you need to realize is that the Illinois School Code already had a section about talking to very young children about abuse and inappropriate touching - Sec. 27.13-2. The bill Obama supported did not cover any new ground as far as that purpose was concerned.

What WAS new in the bill was the mandate for STD education in grades K-5 *IN ADDITION TO* the STD education that was already mandated for grades 6-12.

What many of you need to realize is that the Illinois School Code already had a section about talking to very young children about abuse and inappropriate touching - Sec. 27.13-2. The bill Obama supported did not cover any new ground as far as that purpose was concerned.

What WAS new in the bill was the mandate for STD education in grades K-5 *IN ADDITION TO* the STD education that was already mandated for grades 6-12.

First: Obama expresses phony outrage when McCain correctly outlines Obama's position on Sex Ed for Kindergardeners. I saw Obama's rebutal, and he ends his rebutal by saying:
"IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO"

Second: Of course the Teacher's union loves Obama's plan. He proposes
- 3 methods to pay teachers more.
- 3 new government programs will "launch" or "create". I ask...why not strenghten the government programs we already have? There are plenty of them with the same mission, .
- Final point -- he blames parents for children's education failures.

Shame on McCain-so as a man thinketh, so is he. That goes to show how creative and involved McCain is in catering to lies and distortions with such an ad. It shows how disturbed and apalling a person is to place a bold face lie out to the public about innocent children whom may have looked up to him at some time and point. God Bless America!

It goes to show that McCain is still up to the same ole same ole dirty politics because it appears that he's set in his ways and could care less about the future generations or maybe he is out of touch'. Then to drag Palin in, boy he's way out of touch-the blind leading the blind in their case. PLEASE: God Bless America!

Mr Dobbs - where is your reference for indicating that the main function of the bill was to: "make them aware of the risk of inappropriate touching and sexual predators." It sounds like you took this directly from the Obama campaign...

Have you read the bill? This bill was an update to the existing Illinois sex education laws. It did several things:
* reduced the age where "Comprehensive Sex Education" could be given (from 6th grade to Kindergarten) This is a FACT
* removed "values" language from the bill, included the removal of emphasis on the importance of abstinence and monogamous heterosexual marriage. This is a FACT
* includes a portion relating to the prevention of abuse. This section is general - no mention of the need for the education to be age appropriate...nor is it specific to Kindergartners. This is a FACT

While the McCain ad can be called sensational (most campaign ads are), this particular "fact" about what this bill was about is not correct...and you showed no reference for indicating where you received the information. You also only cited in passing that he wasn't a sponsor of the bill...no mention of any other way he might have been a leader in getting this bill passed???

Mr Dobbs - where is your reference for indicating that the main function of the bill was to: "make them aware of the risk of inappropriate touching and sexual predators." It sounds like you took this directly from the Obama campaign...

Have you read the bill? This bill was an update to the existing Illinois sex education laws. It did several things:
* reduced the age where "Comprehensive Sex Education" could be given (from 6th grade to Kindergarten) This is a FACT
* removed "values" language from the bill, included the removal of emphasis on the importance of abstinence and monogamous heterosexual marriage. This is a FACT
* includes a portion relating to the prevention of abuse. This section is general - no mention of the need for the education to be age appropriate...nor is it specific to Kindergartners. This is a FACT

While the McCain ad can be called sensational (most campaign ads are), this particular "fact" about what this bill was about is not correct...and you showed no reference for indicating where you received the information. You also only cited in passing that he wasn't a sponsor of the bill...no mention of any other way he might have been a leader in getting this bill passed???

jrd has it right, the main premise of the ad was that Obama supported a bill that would provide "Comprehensive Sex Education" to kids in Kindergarden. In stump speech where he was making fun of Alen keys because he brought this subject up He said providing "Comprehensive Sex Education" to Kindergardeners was the right thing to due. Why the three noses, don't like the criticism of you boy?

Also, with regard to Obama's chairing of Bill Ayers' Chicago Annenberg Challenge, if you read the report you will find that Obama's only executive experience was a spectacular failure.

Report Title: The Chicago Annenberg Challenge: Successes, Failures, and Lessons for the Future Final Technical Report of the Chicago Annenberg Research Project

Executive Summary:
The Challenge's "bottom line"...the Challenge had little impact on student outcomes. [Page 14]
...There were no statistically significant differences between Annenberg schools and non-Annenberg schools in rates of achievement gain. [Page 15]
Classroom behavior, students' sense of self-efficacy, and social competence were weaker in 2001 than before the Challenge. Like student academic achievement, there were no statistically significant differences in these outcomes between Annenberg schools and non-Annenberg schools. [Page 15]
...Any improvements were much like those occurring in demographically similar non-Annenberg schools. [Page 15

Page 37 Part 1]:
Structurally and politically, the Challenge had difficulty developing a close and productive working relationship with the CPS central administration. The relationship was tenuous at best; for the most part it was strained and at times it was antagonistic. Top system administrators did not fully trust the Challenge's leadership....